Marsh Wrens at Ridgefield

A marsh wren perches on a cattail in the rain

Rain Wren

I came across this marsh wren building its nest on a rainy spring day at Ridgefield. Before trying for pictures I watched it for a while to pick up its patterns and noticed it frequented two locations the most, the reeds above its nest where it would perch to sing, and some nearby cattails where it gathered nesting materials. I have a number of singing wren pictures so I opted for the cattails, and while I did get some nice pictures of it collecting fluff for its nest, I was surprised to find that one of my favorite pictures from the series was this picture of the wren doing absolutely nothing.

The wren frenetically flew between the cattails and its nest, sang to establish its territory, and hid from predators and others like the aggressive red-winged blackbird that periodically swooped down and landed at the nest. So I suppose I just like that, at least in the picture, the wet little brown bird can pause and rest in perpetuity.

A marsh wren sings from atop a cattail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Won’t Get Fooled Again?

I noticed a pair of marsh wrens building a nest along the auto tour and stopped for a look. After several unsuccessful attempts to photograph the wrens, I decided I wouldn’t get fooled again and attempt any more pictures of the pair. But the energetic little singers drew me in again and again until I eventually got some nice pictures.

After watching them for many hours, I felt a great deal of both admiration and sympathy for the little wrens. They didn't stay still long so as not to raise the ire of the red-winged blackbirds who had also nested just a few feet away and who mobbed anything and everything at the top of the cattails. They ducked when swallows swooped in until they were sure the flyovers were neither hawks nor blackbirds. While gathering food for the nest, they'd often sit down in the tall grass beside my car until the coast was clear.

But their desire to sing was so irrepressible that even if the blackbirds chased them down into safety below, the wrens didn’t stay down for long but soon popped back up to sing their hearts out.

A marsh wren sings from atop a cattail along the Kiwa Trail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Marsh of Many Colors

A plucky little wren fluffs out its head feathers as it sings in front of the varied greens and browns of a little marsh near the Kiwa Trail in the River S Unit.

A marsh wren preens atop a cattail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Psst! Hey Buddy, Wanna Buy A Watch?

Marsh wrens serve a vital role in sloughs across the Pacific Northwest, acting as fences of shoddy or stolen merchandise. Be on your guard should one spot you, as it’s hard to resist their low, low prices!

One nice thing about this view of a preening marsh wren is that you can see the little white arrows that shoot down the dark patch at the top of its back, my favorite aspect of their plumage.

A marsh wren with nesting material plucked from a cattail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Plucky

Early one spring morning I stopped by Rest Lake to watch a struggling ruddy duck. It listed strongly to one side, and often swam in circles, then flipped over and swam on its side. It was able to dive but was clearly working very hard just to move around.

It saddened me to watch the plucky little ruddy, but my mood brightened a little when this little marsh wren popped into view. It had been singing further away in the marsh, occasionally flying over to other parts to sing, and then flew over near me to pluck some of this soft pillowy material from the top of the cattail (which you can see in its bill in the picture).

The little wren then flew back to one of its favorite singing locations, I suppose to add some softness to the lining of its nest.